292 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY VII. a sky above it, and there sate, and this too when invading a people skilled in warfare. Now was not this lust hippocentaurean, was it not Scyllaean? Another, again, used 1 to cast men into a wooden bull. Was not this a very Scylla? And even him, 2 the king I just men tioned, the warrior, 3 wealth made, from a man, a woman, from a woman, what shall I say? a brute beast, and yet more degraded than this ; for the beasts, if they lodge under a tree, take up with nature, and seek for nothing further ; but the man in question overshot the nature even of beasts. What then can be more senseless than are the wealthy? And this arises from the greedi ness of their desires. But, are there not many that admire him ? Therefore truly do they share in the laughter he incurs. That displayed not his wealth but his folly. How much better than that golden plane tree is that which the earth produceth ! For the natural is more grateful than the unnatural. But what meant that thy golden heaven, O senseless one? Seest thou how wealth that is abundant maketh men mad? How it inflamed them ? I suppose he knows not the sea even, and perchance will presently have a mind to walk upon it. 4 Now is not this a chimsera? is it not a hippocentaur ? But there are, at this time also, some who fall not short even of him, but are actually much more sense less. For in point of senselessness, wherein do they differ, tell me, from that golden plane tree, who make silver jars, pitchers, and scent bottles? And wherein do those women differ, (ashamed indeed I am, but it is necessary to speak it,) who make chamber utensils of silver?5 It is ye should be ashamed, that are the makers of these things. When Christ is famishing, dost thou so revel in luxury? yea rather, so play the fool ! What punishment shall these not suffer? And inquirest thou still, why there are robbers ? why murderers? why such evils? when the devil has thus made you ridiculous. For the mere having of silver dishes indeed, this even is not in keeping with a soul devoted to wisdom, but is altogether a piece of luxury ; but the making unclean vessels also of silver, is this then luxury? nay, I will not call it luxury, but sense lessness ; nay, nor yet this, but madness ; nay rather, worse than even madness. I know that many persons make jokes at me tioned as given to Darius; also to Diod. Sic. xix. 49, and Brisson de Regn. Pers. 1. i. c. 77. 1 Sav. ei/e^aAAe. He must mean the brazen bull of Phalaris. 2 T<o? Se riav Trporepov. And besides among them of earlier times, wealth made that king, the warrior, from a man, a woman; from a woman, what shall I say? Savile TOP, which is better, and neglected by Ed. Par. The sequel shows that the same king is meant. 3 [The syntax is obscure, and the passage probably corrupt; but the general meaning is plain. J. A. B.] * Alluding to Xerxes, see Herod, vii. 35.5 apiiaf . St. Clem. Al. mentions the like absurdity, Paedag. ii. 3. for this ; but I heed them not, only let some good result from it. In truth, to be wealthy does make people senseless and mad. Did their power reach to such an excess, they would have the earth too of gold, and walls of gold, per chance the heaven too, and the air of gold. What a madness is this, what an iniquity, what a burning fever ! Another, made after the image of God, is perishing of cold ; and dost thou fur nish thyself with guch things as these? O the senseless pride ! What more would a madman have done ? Dost thou pay such honor to thine excrements, as to receive them in silver? I know that ye are shocked at hearing this ; but those women that make such things ought to be shocked, and the husbands that minister to such distempers. For this is wantonness, and savage- ness, and inhumanity, and brutishness, and las- civiousness. What Scylla, what chimasra, what dragon, yea rather what demon, what devil would have acted on this wise ? What is the benefit of Christ? what of the Faith? when one has to put up with men being heathens, yea rather, not heathens, but demons? If to adorn the head with gold and pearls be not right ; one that useth silver for a service so unclean, how shall he obtain pardon ? Is not the rest enough, although even it is not bearable, chairs and foot stools all of silver? although even these come of senselessness. But everywhere is excessive pride ; everywhere is vainglory. Nowhere is it use, but everywhere excess. I am afraid lest, under the impulse of this madness, the race of woman should go on to assume some portentous form : for it is likely that they will wish to have even their hair of gold. Else declare that ye were not 6 at all affected by what was said, nor were excited greatly, and fell a longing, and had not shame withheld you, would not have refused. For if they dare to do what is even more absurd than this, much more, I think, will they long for their hair, and lips, and eyebrows, and every part to be overlaid with molten gold. But if ye are incredulous, and think I am speaking in jest, I will relate what I have heard, or rather what is now existing. The king of the Persians wears his beard golden ; those who are adepts at such work winding leaf of gold about his hairs as about the woof, and it is laid up as a prodigy. Glory to Thee, O Christ; with how many good things hast Thou filled us ! How hast Thou provided for our health ! From how great monstrousness, from how great unreasonable- [The " not," though found in all documents, seems (Field) quite out of place. Without it, the meaning is, " Now confess that you were somewhat attracted towards the idea expressed, and started up, and fell a longing," &c. Copyists probably understood "the thing said" to be the rebuke just given, and hence felt the " not" to be necessary. J. A. B.]